Monday, May 6, 2013

ReCapturing That Natural High

Last Tuesday night i took my first yoga class in almost 4 years. I havent been to one since i was pregnant with Flynn ( though i have been trying to practice at home, however sporadically that may be ) but before falling pregnant i considered myself a total yogi. ( Not quite the in the tradtional transcendental meditation/contortionist sense though ). I loved my twice weekly yoga classes - in fact, i loved them so much i had enquired into training as a yoga teacher. I had spoken to my instructor and had looked at various teacher training programs and was just in the process of saving some cash when i fell pregnant. Suffice to say, over the past 4 years i have really missed a regular practice, so when a friend of mine told me about a class she was interested in taking, i jumped at the chance to go along with her.

I'll admit to being a little nervous before the class started - would i still be as flexible as i used to be? Would i remember what the poses were called or would i have to follow along like a total newbie? Would my muscles remember the correct postures for each pose? I got to the venue a little early, rolled out my mat and gave myself some time to stretch before the class actually started. It turned out to only be a small class - just the teacher, myself and 6 others - and unbeknownst to me, it was a 'power ' yoga class. I balked a little on the inside... what had i got myself in for?

I needn't have worried .... it was freaking fantastic! Yes, the whole 'power' aspect was new to me ( its more of a cardio based workout than traditional hatha or iyengar practice ) but i knew every pose as the teacher was doing them and was able to keep up to her pace without keeling over, dead and sweaty. Plus, i had a certain amount of 'muscle memory ' and was able to snap into relatively correct posture for each pose and had a much better degree of flexibility than i thought i would.

So - go me! I'm so glad that i was able to find the cash to pay for the class ( which had stopped me from getting back into regular practice sooner ) and also that i was brave enough to throw myself back into it, especially in a class of people i wasnt familiar with. I cannot wait to finish at work today so that i can quickly grab the kids from daycare, dash home, change, wolf down a quick snack, and head off for another class!

Is there an activity you would love to take up again? Maybe something you did previously, but various circumstances have held you back? Or something you'd love to start?

Well done! I haven't done a yoga class for years and that or pilates are things this body should consider attempting again sooner rather than later. Later seems to come around so quickly these days anyway and by then... #teamIBOT

I'm a yogi bear too but haven't been since having miss A. I really miss it and must go by k, also love to sweat it out at the gym, and as you know, paid my membership in full then broke my foot the next day, yet another thing I now need to find some motivation to get going.

I've been wanting to go back to Yoga as well. I only did it for the first time when I was pregnant with Punky but I loved it so much that after she was born I went back and was doing the Mums and Bubs classes and I loved it. I always felt so good afterwards. I have my instructors pregnancy yoga DVD but its not the same doing it by myself and without that motivation to actually leave the house to go to a class its easy to put off doing it. I really need to. I would love to go to Mums and Bubs again but its only on Mondays and Wednesdays and I can't take Punky to that one, but hoping to go to the toddler class on a Friday so Punky can have a go, and I know they give the parents poses to do while the kids are occupied so fingers crossed!

It's too bad that you had to stop doing yoga when you got pregnant, as there are actually a lot of benefits to be had. Not only is it a good way to keep a healthy pregnancy, but it also helps deal with the discomfort and provides good practice for breathing exercises as well. That aside, it's good that you've found yourself doing yoga again. With two kids and being a wife, it's important to keep yourself healthy and centered. Thank you for sharing! Form Body Lab